1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to seal caps and, in particular, to the installation of seal caps. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for fairing sealant that squeezes out of a seal cap during installation of the seal cap.
2. Background
Seal caps may be used to cover and seal fastener elements such as, for example, without limitation, screws and bolts. Typically, a seal cap may be installed over a fastener element by applying a sealant material within a cap and then placing the cap over the head of the fastener element. In some cases, the cap may be referred to as the seal cap. In other cases, the cap and the sealant material may together form a seal cap.
During installation, the cap and the sealant material may be pressed down over the fastener element to ensure that the sealant material adheres to and fully covers the fastener element. However, oftentimes, excess sealant material may squeeze out around the cap when the cap and the sealant material within the cap are placed over the fastener element and pressed downwards. The excess sealant material around the cap may be undesirable. For example, without limitation, seal caps may be used for an object in which multiple fastener elements have been installed.
Excess sealant material may reduce the aesthetic appeal of the object into which the fastener element has been installed. Further, the excess sealant material may increase the weight of the object more than desired. In some cases, excess sealant material may separate and become foreign object debris. For example, without limitation, when used inside a fuel tank, the flow of the fuel within the fuel tank may cause some of the excess sealant material to break apart and form undesired debris within the fuel tank.
Consequently, fairing the excess sealant material such that the excess sealant material has a desired shape and/or thickness around the seal cap may be desirable. As used herein, “fairing” may mean smoothing out, rounding out, and/or rubbing.
With some currently available methods for installing seal caps, excess sealant material that squeezes out of a seal cap may be faired by hand. However, this process may be more time-consuming than desired. When an object comprises multiple fastener elements over which seal caps are to be installed, the time needed to smooth out this excess sealant material may increase production times and/or costs for the object more than desired. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.